Instagram’s new Google TV app pushes Reels beyond the phone

Instagram’s push beyond the phone is picking up speed. After testing its TV experience on Amazon Fire TV late last year, the company is now rolling out its dedicated Instagram app to Google TV devices, marking another step in Meta’s plan to make short-form videos something people can enjoy together on the couch.

The app focuses on themed channels that organize Reels by interests and topics, such as sports highlights, cooking videos, travel clips, or viral moments. Instead of swiping on a small screen, you can browse from your couch using a remote, making it easy to watch videos passively.

You can do more than just watch. The app lets you like, comment, and share posts just like on your phone. It also includes full audio, autoplay, and easy navigation, so the TV version feels familiar and not just like a bigger version of the mobile app.

Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, announced the expansion on Threads, signaling that the company sees TV as the next big platform for watching Reels, not just a test run.

This move is part of a bigger strategy. Short-form videos aren’t just for phones anymore. TikTok and YouTube already have lots of people watching on TV. By launching its own TV app, Instagram is trying to keep both creators and viewers using its platform.

There are some technical hurdles. Since Reels are mostly vertical, they don’t fit widescreen TVs easily. Instagram is using curated collections and design changes to make vertical videos look natural on TV instead of out of place.

For now, availability is limited to Google TV devices in the US, but broader device and regional expansion is expected as Instagram gathers feedback.